It’s a once-every-three-months gathering that really gets San Antonians thinking. And it’s got a funny little name: PechaKucha San Antonio.
Vicki Yuan is organizer for PechaKucha, and she explained more about the concept behind it:
“Pechakucha is a Japanese term for chit-chat. It’s a concept for a lecture series style event,” she said.
PechaKucha started in Japan as a venue to allow young architects to display and talk about their work. It’s evolved to include other disciplines, and Yuan explained the way it works:
“Each presenter is allowed to show only twenty images, which are automatically timed at twenty seconds per image,” she said.
Yuan said the idea is simple, really.
“Talk about something you’re passionate about, and have it be lightning speed," she said. "No death by Powerpoint! What I love about it is how it introduces you to so many fascinating people that are living in your city."
The PechaKucha concept has spread worldwide and as Yuan explains, it arrived in San Antonio relatively recently.
“We’ve been doing it in San Antonio since 2011," she said. "We invite architects, writers, scientists, chefs, musicians. As many people as we can get that represent San Antonio in a positive way.”
Yes, the public is invited, and admission is, well, no big deal.
“We ask for a $5 donation at the door, but that gets you free beverages and food," said Yuan. " Our next event is happening on Tuesday, August 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Carver Cultural Center, Jo Long Theater. We always host a Happy Hour that lasts about an hour and Randy Beamer comes at 7:30 p.m."
Beamer is the master of ceremonies for the event.
"What we try to do is gather the most diverse people that are living in San Antonio and doing interesting things, and have it be a good cross sections of all the creative disciplines,” Yuan said.
- For more on Pechakucha visit: www.pechakucha.org/cities/san-antonio
See examples of past Pecha Kucha San Antonio events below:
